Coast to Coast

Itinerary

The Coast to Coast generally takes 14 - 18 walking days to complete. A 16 walking day itinerary is shown below.

Day 1

St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge

Distance: 24 km

Time: 8 hours

Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast; camping

Day 2

Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite

Distance: 22.5 km

Time: 8 hours

Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast; camping

Day 3

Rosthwaite to Grasmere

Distance: 11.9 km

Time: 6 hours

Accommodation: Hotel; Bed & Breakfast; camping

Walk Options

Guided

There are several tour operators offering all or part of the Coast to Coast path as a guided trip. You can choose to do the entire 300 kilometres (186 miles) walk or opt for shorter versions. The tour operators that offer the full walk on a guided basis generally follow a 13 - 16 walking day walking itinerary.

Tour operators that offer guided trips generally operate on the basis of scheduled departure dates during the walking season.

With one exception, all of the guided tour operators utilise the available accommodation along the route. As the walk passes through remote areas with limited accommodation, this means that the accommodation varies in type and standard. For most, this constitutes an attraction. The above-mentioned exception uses a base for the last four nights with walkers transferred to and from the walk each day.

Typically, the package offered by the guided tour operators includes:

• 14 -17 day tour with a professional guide, 13-16 days of walking

• 14-17 nights accommodation

• All meals

• Transfers between the trail and the accommodation (where applicable)

Assisted self-guided

A substantial number of tour operators offer the Coast to Coast path as a self-guided trip.

Typically, the service includes:

• Track notes, maps and information pack

• Accommodation, usually with ensuites (the range and quantity of accommodation available in some villages is limited; also, the basic package offered by some tour operators might not always extend to ensuites)

• Luggage transport between accommodation (and sometimes, where necessary, vehicle transfers between track and accommodation)

• Breakfasts and optional packed lunches

• 24/7 Support

The duration of the self-guided options varies depending upon how far you wish to walk each day. The operators work on the basis that most walkers will set themselves a 12 - 18 walking day schedule, with one or two rest days inserted along the way. Most of them are flexible and are happy to tailor an itinerary.

Accommodation options range from comfortable through to luxury, again depending upon the size of the village or town and the purchased package.

Independent

There are camping grounds along the route that make camping on most nights a possibility. Given the range of accommodation options en route and the extra weight, it’s a hardy few that take the camping option. If you want the experience of a few nights of camping, but not the extra weight, there are a couple of glamping possibilities along the way.

It’s quite feasible to book accommodation along the route yourself and, if you require luggage transfers, to arrange that independently.

For those considering arranging everything themselves, it’s worth noting that the self-guided tour operators often have preferred rates with accommodation providers and luggage transfer companies. They also often have reserved allocations at the best-located/most suitable accommodation for the particular walk, so sometimes when accommodation shows no availability to an independent inquiry there’s still availability through a self-guided operator.

Essential Information

Access

The starting point for the Coast to Coast path is either St Bees or Robin Hood’s Bay. 

St Bees and Robin Hood’s Bay are both readily accessible by public transport:

• St Bees is accessible by train: there are regular trains from London Euston to Carlisle (4.5 hours) and then a local train from Carlisle to St Bees (1 hour);

• Robin Hood’s Bay to London: involves a bus to Scarborough (40 minutes) and then a train from Scarborough to London via York (4 hours)

Best time

The best time to do the walk is between March and November. 

Vivid wildflowers adorn the route in spring and in autumn the tree foliage colours are spectacular.

Difficulty

The path is rated at a difficulty level of hard. Obviously, it is a very long walk and there are some challenging sections, particularly in the Lake District. The path is not always well marked and maintained.

Accommodation

There are many accommodation options at either end of the walk and, generally, plenty along the way.  Accommodation options include camping, hostels, B&Bs, guesthouses, inns and hotels.

In the peak walking season, accommodation can get tight at some of the smaller villages (eg Keld and Clay Bank Top) and some of the more in-demand accommodation venues might impose two night restrictions on weekends.

Many of the accommodation providers, particularly those near to the route, are attuned to walkers’ needs or offer amenities suited to walkers.

We can assist walkers in choosing the accommodation options which best suit their needs.

Dining

We can assist you in choosing special dining options along the route.

Other activities

The Coast to Coast passes through some popular tourism destinations - in particular, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. These areas offer many attractions in addition to the Coast to Coast path.

Given the length of the Coast to Coast, most walkers take at least one rest day along the trail. Many also add some days and activities at the end of the walk.

Popular spots for rest days include Grasmere (with easy access to Wordsworth’s homes and museums and Sarah Nelson’s famous gingerbread shop), Kirkby Stephen (an attractive, old market town) and Richmond (with its Norman castle, cobbled marketplace and Georgian theatre).

We can assist walkers to explore the many attractions of the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.

Assistance

We can assist walkers with various aspects of their walking holidays.